As you age, it is essential to note that aging can make someone suffer from at least one or two chronic illnesses. Understanding these health concerns among the elderly helps you plan to prevent them and prepare for any health emergency. It helps you make some lifestyle changes that help you age while still healthy. If you have an older adult in your family and you want to understand various Geriatric Chamblee concerns that are common among the elderly. This will help guide you on the kind of services they offer. Read on to learn more about common health concerns affecting the elderly.
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Chronic health conditions
According to research, approximately ninety-two percent of all elderly suffer from at least one chronic condition, while about seventy-seven percent suffer from at least two. Common chronic conditions among the elderly include cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. They are also said to be the leading conditions that cause around two-thirds of all deaths among the elderly. For this reason, they are supposed to visit a physician for an annual checkup and keep exercising and maintaining a healthy diet to prevent chronic conditions.
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Cognitive health
Dementia is a common cognitive health condition affecting the elderly. Generally, cognitive health often focuses on your ability to learn, think, and remember. Therefore, as you age, you start losing your cognitive function leading to dementia. The most common type of dementia affecting the aged is Alzheimer’s disease. Of importance to note is that suffering from other health conditions increases your risk of developing dementia. Such conditions include HIV, substance abuse, depression, diabetes, smoking, and hypertension. There is usually no treatment for dementia, but you are advised to manage the conditions that might cause dementia.
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Mental health
One of the common mental health problems among the aged is depression which affects about seven percent of the elderly population. In most cases, depression is a health condition often underdiagnosed and goes untreated. It hence results in suicide deaths. Managing other chronic health conditions is essential because they are the leading cause of depression. Doing so also helps prevent depression and promote a healthy lifestyle for healthy living of the elderly by providing social support from family and friends to help treat depression.
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Physical injury
The elderly are more prone to falls which result in injury. In most cases, aging cause muscles to lose their flexibility and strength while bones shrink therefore predisposing the elderly to loss of balance resulting in bruising and fracturing of bones.
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Malnutrition
Malnutrition among people sixty-five years and above is often underdiagnosed and can be the leading cause of elderly health problems like a weak immune system. It can also result from other health problems like depression, dietary restrictions, and alcoholism.
You can book an appointment at Lenox Medical Clinic for your old family member or friend for annual checkups. Doing so helps diagnose any condition affecting their health, thus helping them remain healthy. The clinics also educate you on how to care for the elderly.
